Illegal trade in wildlife has taken a sophisticated turn, with some veterinarian researchers and biologists engaged by Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism (MCNRT) accused of stealing blood plasma from some endangered species. Botswana is said to be fast becoming a hub for stealing blood plasma of elephants and rhinos, which is said to be in high demand in some Asian countries, under the cover of research and analysis of the endangered species. Blood plasma is a yellowish coloured liquid component of blood that normally holds the blood cells in whole blood in suspension; this makes plasma the extracellular matrix of blood cells. It makes up about 55% of the body's total blood volume. While the nation and international conservationists grapple with the threat of poaching of elephants and other endangered species in Botswana, investigations have uncovered a dark mafia style syndicate of illegal collection of blood plasma. “The samples are then sold in some European countries where they will be used for cloning and apparently fetch around USD 250,000. We have tried to raise alarm but authorities turn a blind eye,” revealed one veterinarian in the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP). “We did a research…